Warming up before oil change?

Mike546

Is it necessary to warm the bike up before changing the oil. It seem like all the sediment would be in the bottom of the case if you didn't start it and stir it all up. There was an article about changing the oil in a new Honda in one of the magazines and they never mentioned warming it up. If I'm changing my oil at 6am on a Sunday morning before a ride I sure cant start it for three minutes and wake all my neighbors and the wife.

Bryan Bosch

Contaminents settle as you pointed out. You want to circulate the oil to cause them to suspend in the oil again so they'll be removed when you drain the sump. You'll get more of the contaminents out running the bike before an oil change than not.

But, would it hurt your bike to change the oil a few times in the bike's life w/o warming it up first? Nope. But, it will take longer to drain and when you refill and be mindful less may have drained out that when you've change the oil warm.

cubera

BergArabia

Contaminents settle as you pointed out. You want to circulate the oil to cause them to suspend in the oil again so they'll be removed when you drain the sump. You'll get more of the contaminents out running the bike before an oil change than not.

But, would it hurt your bike to change the oil a few times in the bike's life w/o warming it up first? Nope. But, it will take longer to drain and when you refill and be mindful less may have drained out that when you've change the oil warm.

Makes sense to me too.I have noticed the new oil looks cleaner in the site glass, when I had warmed it up before changing it. (which I mostly do). So I agree with the, it gets more of the sediment out idea.

Waking up the neighbors is a bonus of warming the bike first.. Lol just kidding..

monkeymotocross

Solid State

Never changed the oil on anything without warm up. You could get away with it in a pinch if it was inappropriate to start the motor, but more dirty oil would remain. Warm oil just drains quicker and more completely. For reference, just look at the drain times versus temperature for the fork tubes in the service manual. It's not really rocket science when you think about it.

BobFromOmaha

BergArabia

yep, warm it up! tell your neighbors there is no charge for the wake up call.

I like the way you think. How else are the neighbors going to know your a biker right?? No worse than buddy's car alarm going off in the middle of the night when someone walks to close to the car.. they'll get over it,

emerybrian

I always warm the engine by idling, although this only warms the engine oil. If I weren't always so rushed at the end of a raceday with loading/driving/unloading/washing/filters/etc/etc I'd drop the trans oil at the track. It comes out like boiling hot black water right after a moto!